Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Original caption: Trenton, New Jersey: Continental Record Holders Captain Frank Hawks and Robert Buck Take Part In Trenton Air Meet. Photo Shows: Left to right--Captain Frank Hawks, holder of the east-to-west and west-to-east transcontinental air records, and Robert Buck, youthful holder of the junior record at the two day air meet at Mercer Airport here.

Robert Nietzel Buck (1914-2007)

Robert Nietzel Buck (1914-2007) in 2003

Robert Nietzel Buck (1914-2007)

Robert Nietzel Buck (January 29, 1914 – April 14, 2007) in 1930 broke the junior transcontinental air speed record and was the youngest pilot ever licensed in the United States. In 1937 he began flying for TWA, became chief pilot in 1945 and flew until his retirement at age 60 in 1974. He took delivery of TWA's first Lockheed Constellation aircraft in 1945, and in 1970 flew TWA's first 747 revenue flight, flight 800 from New York City to Paris. In 1965 he flew around the world from pole to pole in a Boeing 707 along with several other pilots in shifts.